Gloria & PatPat Carson, along with Gloria Steele, started Gloria & Pat Originals in 1973, which later was changed to and incorporated into Designs by Gloria & Pat, Inc. in 1975. Gloria and Pat became the first designers in the U.S. to publish a book in counted cross stitch--Count Your Stitches.

In 1979, the girls met with Samuel J. Butcher, a budding artist and now renown creator of Precious Moments&REG, to show him two of his works that they had converted to cross stitch. The rest is cross stitch history!

Gloria passed away in 1984, and as a loving tribute to her memory and wonderful friendship, Pat insisted the company name remain unchanged.